according to hsbc in 2000 mexican workers earned nearly five times the salary of their chinese peers. but by 2011, mexican workers were only about a third more expensive than chinese workers. when you project all these advantages into the next few years, mexico's economic future looks robust. the national intelligence council released an important report called "global trends 2030" one trend it looks at is how demographic changes will shape the world. countries with younger, more dynamic populations will grow faster. while the median age in mexico will be 30, 40, japan's median age will hit 52. america actually has an advantage here at 39. our median age will only be five years older than that of mexico's. trends don't ensure particular outcome, but it's clear that contrary to its global image, mexico's economy has momentum. it will be among the world's top ten economies by the end of this decade. smart reforms can build it further. the irony is that one possible impediment to mexico's growth could be the very country that is its biggest asset, the united states. if we slow down, so w